Daniel Penny Arrested for Manslaughter in Death of Jordan Neely

Daniel Penny, the U.S. Marine who put Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on the NYC subway, surrendered to authorities for second-degree manslaughter on Friday.

The Details: The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced they would pursue charges against him on Thursday. Just before 11 AM, Penny was seen exiting a Manhattan precinct in handcuffs, where he kept quiet when questioned by reporters. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday afternoon. 

For Context: The May 1 killing has been a polarizing topic. Neely was a 30-year-old homeless man with more than 40 arrests to his name, who reportedly suffered from mental health issues, and was a former street performer. 

Key Quotes: Penny’s lawyers, who previously said Neely was “aggressively threatening” passengers, are confident their client would be absolved of any wrongdoing once all the facts come to light. Neely’s family’s attorneys called the accusations of threats, “a character assassination and a clear example of why he believed he was entitled to take Jordan‘s life.”

How The Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum framed the story very differently. NBC News emphasized the 15-minute length of the chokehold and did not mention Neely’s prior arrests. It also called Penny a Marine veteran and did not mention his active status like New York Post did. New York Post did not mention the chokehold length, but did mention Neely’s arrest record, and offered a better-detailed synopsis of his mental health issues.